What is the ruling on the prayer of someone who prayed in the courtyard of the mosque while the imam was inside the roofed section, at a distance of less than 10 meters? And does this ruling apply to praying in the Grand Mosque (Masjid al-Haram) from the back, with continuous rows, taking into consideration Sheikh Ibn Uthaymeen’s opinion on the necessity of continuous rows?

If you pray inside the mosque, even if the rows are not connected, your prayer is valid, although this is contrary to what is superior. This is the view of Al-Shafi'i, Ibn Qudamah, and Al-Amidi. As for what you heard from Sheikh Ibn 'Uthaymeen, he probably meant the prayer of the congregant outside the mosque while the Imam is inside, with the rows not connected. In this case, he considers the congregant's prayer invalid.